Tuesday, August 09, 2005

The Rules
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview Me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others asking to be interviewed comment, you will ask them 5 questions.

Interview by Ming

1) What made you decide to switch from computer science/art to psychology? Could it have been the pizza at 2am every evening (I couldn't eat pizza chicago again without bringing back THOSE memories), the back aches and bleary eyes from hunching over a computer putting my eyes too close to the screen as I tried to debug some nastiness? I think in the beginning (back in hs and early college), I really really enjoyed the challenges of writing and planning out my code and programs. Honestly tho, as I went along through my major I realized that mostly I just didn't care anymore. The fun went away, and suddenly I was faced with, "OMG, do I really want to do this for the rest of my life in some cubicle somewhere?" I plodded along for a while just feeling more and more trapped until depression completely took over my life (I remember breaking down at a gyno appt *totally wrong kind of doctor, eh* and I ended up leaving with a little bottle of paxil which I never ended up taking because I decided I'd rather change my life than take medicine). Anyhoo, I desperately tried to figure out what I could change my major to that late in the game (for those who don't know, I switched majors my senior year of college). My parents are pretty strict about what I "can be when I grow up." I always knew that I was supposed to be a doctor or an engineer (duh, I am Chinese, right?). Up until my senior year, I had only taken 1 psychology class (cognitive psychology), but I had LOVED it. I also looked around and realized that 2 of my aunts and 1 of my uncles were psychologists (most practicing clinical psych). So I figured, psychology was at least a somewhat accepted (in my family) pathway out of the whole doctor/engineer thing. So I went for broke :)

2) What's the most interesting problem/issue to you in the world of psychology at the moment?That answer will obviously be different depending on who you ask (and you're asking little ol' me). Every psychologist probably thinks there is something in THEIR area, THEIR research that is the most important, or at least very important, otherwise they wouldn't be pursuing that line of research. Of course, I'm not really at the point where I can dictate explicitly what projects I should be working on... I obviously find racial interactions and biases fascinating, otherwise I probably wouldn't be heading in the social psych direction. I do think some of what I'm working on right now is important as it relates to biases that everyone has, (and how it affects our actions/vigilance) especially with respect to police officer training and awareness, but I don't know that that's the most important thing in psych right now for me... honestly, I'm not quite sure EXACTLY what is most important to me because there seems like there are so many "important" issues out there. sorry for that fluff answer.

3) Do you think of yourself as a queer ally? What does that mean to you?"ally." To me, the term suggests more of a war like situation in which political/human rights are fought for (in this case). I don't know that I'm politically active enough for the community to be called "a queer ally." Back in high school, I was part of the group that started the Gay Straight Alliance. I was in the meetings with the principal of the school as we fought to have the right to have the group on campus after our initial meeting signs were torn down and members threatened. Back then, I might have thought of myself as a queer ally. Now, I suppose I would be considered a queer 'friend' since I sympathize with and agree with much of what the community might want, but I am not involved enough to help or even know the intricacies of what the community is pushing for.

4) What dish (or dishes) would you want to learn to cook perfectly every time?that yummy salty bean curd skin and chicken dish my grandma makes. and maybe that yummy savory nian gao recipe that emi made for chinese new year. oh and that chocolate cake with yummy molten center that you get at restaurants dripping with chocolate sauce. Oh yeah and lots of tasty souffles.

5) If you could go back in time and give the 12 year old Lori some advice, what would it be?Do not date anyone named Dan. Ever.

5
comments:

I didn't know you were also an outcast! My choices were to become either a physician or lawyer. I plea bargained to a human genetics PhD. guess what I'm in grad school for? Counseling Psych. My Chinese parents are not pleased.

I guess I had it easy when it came to a major for college... my mother the accountant and father the engineer just wanted us (my sisters and I) to choose something we liked. Maybe that's how I ended up an anthro major. ;-)

You can interview me if you'd like. I've not done a meme in over a year.